Woman killed by an alligator as she tried to protect her dog

A woman trying to protect her dog has been killed by an alligator after it pulled her into a lagoon.

Cassandra Cline, 45, of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, was walking the dog in a residential area of the private Sea Pines Resort when she was attacked, officials said.

The 8ft alligator was later found and put down, Sam Chappalear of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources told the Island Packet newspaper.

“It appears the alligator went after her dog and she tried to protect it,” Mr Chappalear said.

Police take pictures of the site where a woman was killed by an alligator (Picture: AP)

The dog was unharmed after the attack.

Captain Robert McCullough of the Department of Natural Resources said: “It’s common practice when we have an aggressive alligator like that, we put it down, but it will take some take some time to confirm it’s the right alligator.”